Tag Archives: Carly Fiorina

This month we remember Katrina … remind folks what happened on the Gulf Coast as the people fled, were forced out or died in the Katrina disaster trying to get out.

August 1, 1838 – Slavery was abolished in Jamaica. It had been introduced by Spanish settlers 300 years earlier in 1509.

August 2, 1776 – In Philadelphia, most of the 55 members of the Continental Congress signed the parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence.

August 4, 1962 – Apartheid opponent Nelson Mandela was arrested by security police in South Africa. He was then tried and sentenced to five years in prison. In 1964, he was placed on trial for sabotage, high treason and conspiracy to overthrow the government and was sentenced to life in prison. A worldwide campaign to free him began in the 1980s and resulted in his release on February 11, 1990, at age 71 after 27 years in prison. In 1993, Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with South Africa’s President F.W. de Klerk for their peaceful efforts to bring a nonracial democracy to South Africa. In April 1994, black South Africans voted for the first time in an election that brought Mandela the presidency of South Africa.

August 4, 1964 – Three young civil rights workers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, were found murdered and buried in an earthen dam outside Philadelphia, Mississippi. They had disappeared on June 21 after being detained by Neshoba County police on charges of speeding. They were participating in the Mississippi Summer Project organized by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to increase black voter registration. When their car was found burned on June 23, President Lyndon Johnson ordered the FBI to search for the men.

August 5, 1861 – President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the first Federal income tax, a 3 percent tax on incomes over $800, as an emergency wartime measure during the Civil War. However, the tax was never actually put into effect.

August 6, 1965 – The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Act suspended literacy, knowledge and character tests designed to keep African Americans from voting in the South. It also authorized the appointment of Federal voting examiners and barred discriminatory poll taxes. The Act was renewed by Congress in 1975, 1984 and 1991.

August 6-10, 1787 – The Great Debate occurred during the Constitutional Convention. Outcomes included the establishment of a four-year term of office for the President, granting Congress the right to regulate foreign trade and interstate commerce, and the appointment of a committee to prepare a final draft of the Constitution.

August 10, 1863 – The President meets with abolitionist Frederick Douglass who pushes for full equality for Union ‘Negro troops.’

August 9, 1974 – Effective at noon, Richard M. Nixonresigned the presidency as a result of the Watergate scandal. Nixon had appeared on television the night before and announced his decision to the American people. Facing possible impeachment by Congress, he became the only U.S. President ever to resign.

August 11, 1841 – Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave, spoke before an audience in the North for the first time. During an anti-slavery convention on Nantucket Island, he gave a powerful, emotional account of his life as a slave. He was immediately asked to become a full-time lecturer for the Massachusetts Antislavery Society.

August 11-16, 1965 – Six days of riots began in the Watts area of Los Angeles, triggered by an incident between a white member of the California Highway Patrol and an African American motorist. Thirty-four deaths were reported and more than 3,000 people were arrested. Damage to property was listed at $40 million.

August 14, 1935 – President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act establishing the system which guarantees pensions to those who retire at age 65. The Social Security system also aids states in providing financial aid to dependent children, the blind and others, as well as administering a system of unemployment insurance.

August 15, 1969 – Woodstock began in a field near Yasgur’s Farm at Bethel, New York. The three-day concert featured 24 rock bands and drew a crowd of more than 300,000 young people. The event came to symbolize the counter-culture movement of the 1960’s.

August 18, 1920 – The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting women the right to vote.

August 28, 1963 – The March on Washington occurred as over 250,000 persons attended a Civil Rights rally in Washington, D.C., at which Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his now-famous I Have a Dream speech.

Helping my city’s homeless could land me in jail with a $2000 dollar fine.

Last November, a 90-year-old Florida man was arrested and faced 60 days in jail for feeding the homeless. A few months later, a San Antonio woman was hit with a $2000 dollar fine for doing the same.. These “feeding bans” have popped up all over the United States. In fact, more than 70 cities around the country have instituted or tried to institute similar ordinances.

My name is Randall Kallinen, and I am deeply saddened to say that my beloved city of Houston has followed suit. Now, a good deed could cost you $2000 here, too. This is just the wrong direction to be taking. It’s anti-compassion and anti-humanitarian, and we need to turn it around.

Tell Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council that feeding the homeless isn’t a crime. Change the law and allow good samaritans to feed the hungry.

As a civil rights lawyer for over 21 years, homeless advocate and the president of Houston’s ACLU chapter for 3 years, I speak from experience when I say that humane acts of kindness should be rewarded, not punished. When Houston passed this ban 3 years ago, organizations from across the religious and political spectrum spoke out because they understood that being a good samaritan isn’t a religious or political issue, but rather a matter of human rights. Now most have been frightened off from giving to the needy. Helping those in need should be considered a fundamental right, particularly now when more and more people are experiencing food insecurity and the government is failing to fix the problem. Houston’s cruel “anti-feeding” ordinance stands in the way of that right, and it is up to you and me to overturn it.

Because of our size, as Texas goes, so goes the rest of the country in many political matters. Too many cities have already adopted these anti-humanitarian measures. Getting Houston to rescind this draconian ordinance where you must seek permission as where and when to feed more than 5 less fortunate outside on public property could go a long way toward turning the tide across the nation.

Criminalizing charity penalizes our community’s most vulnerable. Can you help to make sure that doesn’t happen?

Let’s put an end to this misguided ordinance and return the spirit of giving and charity to the city of Houston. Join me and tell Mayor Annise Parker and the Houston City Council that every human deserves compassion. Tell them to rescind the “anti-feeding” ordinance.

Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent yell slogans during a protest in Santo Domingo June 18, 2015. People took to the streets to demonstrate against the risk of deportation from the Dominican Republic due to a deadline of a national immigration law. Reuters

just another rantHaitian Rolando Joshept (R), 19, sits near a Dominican soldier on a bus of the National Migration Office in Santo Domingo June 24, 2015. Joshept is returning to Haiti voluntarily after a new Dominican migration law requires hundreds of thousands of Haitians and people of Haitian descent to show identity documents or register for a so-called “regularization” program. Reuters

Just another rant …

In 2011, Officials of the Dominican Republic warned DR nationals and after many changes to the rules, they seem determined to deport at least onehundred thousand Haitians. According to the media, approximately 250K applied for residency but only about 10k had the proper paper work. This means that DR Officials might implement the papers please rule as the U.S. state of Arizona tried.

It has gotten worse.

There are reports that the Dominican Republic seems to be engaging in what some consider ethnic cleansing. The idea that DR officials decided they needed to deport DR nationals without due process is disturbing. When In fact, some are of DR descent, others are undocumented most have worked and lived there for all their lives to only have a few weeks before being “rounded up” as stated by DR officials. So far, approximately 26K undocumented DR nationals have left voluntarily. Is it possible that Dominican elites want to regain their privileged lives at the expense of families, possibly family ties as well?

Why is this bothering me? The last time I asked folks to boycott, there were reports of fights about who looks more Dominican or not and in the wake of men women and children being assaulted based on their looks and skin colour dealing with a papers please law is beyond my understanding. I know this is not a new problem, but in this 21st Century, one would think the Caribbean Community would come together and implement solutions. The problem seems to be an archaic caste system that needs to end. Where is the CARICOM community and what side are they on?

Thing is, the Caribbean and i use that to cover a wide range of territory …beyond beautiful, a paradise, a tourist destination, reported as having a corrupt government police and always under constant threats of natural disasters so these issues of color,land,looks,legacy religion seem petty when some serious money can be made … but the government needs to be legitimate …the soul of the Caribbean kept intact

the question: is the government and police corrupt?

There is a Common Wealth of and a Republic of; yet both are a part of the Caribbean Community.

Folks are suffering victims of crime, corruption and a huge debt due to economic austerity. While some visitors choose to ignore it others conveniently bring up the label given to differentiate the face of one Caribbean Community member from another. I have read it so many times and though I roll my eyes at the clichés “ they are very very serious about making sure folks “are not confused with” or “pronounced as”. The fact remains, the Dominica and all the islands on that coast are still apart of the sum total called the Caribbean Community and more often than not; “the not to be confused” locales are groomed island destinations for the rich. I know, not all rich folks are, but a whole lot are buying land, usually white and from the UK, France and now so are folks from the US, making it a place that is or once was 86% to 95% black (Caribbean) now a place that provides low wages for resort bartenders, house cleaners, ethnic-entertainers while being another place beaten used and eaten up by eco-tourism. Studies show that when tourism flounders so does the economy …duh. so, alternative sustainable options need to be considered.

Most of us would say eco-tourism is not bad as it mostly helps protect against deforestation, but now days you need to ask what are the locals getting out of it. We need to think about all the Caribbean islands or similar hard to get to places with extraordinary weather, climate, food, mountains, rainforests, freshwater lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, and diving spots that tourists tend to trample or buy up. The waterfronts are now home to cruise liners that not only take up space, it has resulted in a loss of land, some fishing rights, and reports are that cruise ships have been quietly dumping environmental waste into what used to be pristine waterways. In the end, like so many destinations of paradise or eco-tourist friendly places succumb to new developments and or modernization of facilities now have fewer visitors, even with all the tax perks which happens to negatively affects the locals and their overall economy in far too many cases.

There is a difference between the Commonwealth and a Republic in my opinion. If you read the news, the common wealth is far more likely to be groomed for “the people” most are hard to get to. That means a whole lot of tourists and definitely user friendly; the other is usually a little more urban, rugged a lot less likely to havemany tourists. The leaders in a common wealth are more likely and able to make a deal with countries like the US,UK or France while the people of a Republic probably choose to talk with China or any other resource seeking nation. The fact remains that fifteen CARICOM members include the Dominican Republican as well as the Dominica are all in this crisis, all members need to step up.

In a letter to CARICOM, chair Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie, the organization expressed shock that the regional body has not commented on the issue. “We are shocked but not surprised about CARICOM’s silence during this period when the Chair has fallen to the Prime Minister of The Bahamas”.

In the image to the left, a Haitian man is pulled back toward the Haitian side of the border by Dominican soldiers, at the Jimani border crossing, in the Dominican Republic last Wednesday. The man was later allowed to pass. Authorities are prepared to resume deporting non-citizens without legal residency in the Dominican Republic after largely putting the practice on hold for a year, the head of the country’s immigration agency said. For decades, the Dominican Republic has deported noncitizens, the vast majority of whom come from neighbouring Haiti to work in low-wage jobs. (PHOTO: AP)

I don’t know the answers … though I think Caribbean island nations and those that have, like the Republic of Madagascar similar weather,lakes, water falls, forests and amazons want to export what they make not have folks come in and take it, promise or build massive structures making the indigenous people’s give up land, fishing rights only to get a small amount of return or actual help then it ends with a series of broken promises. Some thinking they are doing well, talk about having jobs like being tour guides, cultural dancers are helping them or giving them an opportunity because they had nothing before … this is such bs! We need to help our fellow man with income inequality, demand not only human rights, see actual humanitarian acts completed and a legit government. We must always try to prevent or stop the slashing, burning and deforestation because it is one of many things that will prevent the next generation from thriving not to mention trying to keep the next generation healthy

These nations, regions or countries considered islands of paradise they ultimate vacay destination are people that should not be poor …

Resources:

jamaicaobserver.com

wiki

ft.com

Barbados today

12newsnow.com

Jamaica-gleaner.com

ibtimes.org

A Case of Mistaken Identity: Antihaitianismo in Dominican Culture By Ernesto Sagás

We have a moral obligation to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged, and by taking an all- of-the-above approach to develop homegrown energy and steady, responsible steps to cut carbon pollution, we can protect our kids’ health and begin to slow the effects of climate change so we leave a cleaner, more stable environment for future generations. Building on efforts underway in states and communities across the country, the President’s plan cuts carbon pollution that causes climate change and threatens public health. Today, we have limits in place for arsenic, mercury and lead, but we let power plants release as much carbon pollution as they want – pollution that is contributing to higher rates of asthma attacks and more frequent and severe floods and heat waves.

Cutting carbon pollution will help keep our air and water clean and protect our kids. The President’s plan will also spark innovation across a wide variety of energy technologies, resulting in cleaner forms of American- made energy and cutting our dependence on foreign oil. Combined with the President’s other actions to increase the efficiency of our cars and household appliances, the President’s plan will help American families cut energy waste, lowering their gas and utility bills. In addition, the plan steps up our global efforts to lead on climate change and invests to strengthen our roads, bridges, and shorelines so we can better protect people’s homes, businesses, and way of life from severe weather.

While no single step can reverse the effects of climate change, we have a moral obligation to act on behalf of future generations. Climate change represents one of the major challenges of the 21st century, but as a nation of innovators, we can and will meet this challenge in a way that advances our economy, our environment, and public health all at the same time. That is why the President’s comprehensive plan takes action to:

Cuts Carbon Pollution in America. In 2012, U.S. carbon pollution from the energy sector fell to the lowest level in two decades even as the economy continued to grow. To build on this progress, the Obama Administration is putting in place tough new rules to cut carbon pollution—just like we have for other toxins like mercury and arsenic —so we protect the health of our children and move our economy toward American-made clean energy sources that will create good jobs and lower home energy bills. For example, the plan:

Directs EPA to work closely with states, industry and other stakeholder to establish carbon pollution standards for both new and existing power plants;

Makes up to $8 billion in loan guarantee authority available for a wide array of advanced fossil energy and efficiency projects to support investments in innovative technologies;

Directs DOI to permit enough renewables project—like wind and solar – on public lands by 2020 to power more than 6 million homes; designates the first-ever hydropower project for priority permitting; and sets a new goal to install 100 megawatts of renewables on federally assisted housing by 2020; while maintaining the commitment to deploy renewables on military installations;

Expands the President’s Better Building Challenge, focusing on helping commercial, industrial, and multi-family buildings cut waste and become at least 20 percent more energy efficient by 2020;

Sets a goal to reduce carbon pollution by at least 3 billion metric tons cumulatively by 2030 – more than half of the annual carbon pollution from the U.S. energy sector – through efficiency standards set over the course of the Administration for appliances and federal buildings;

Commits to partnering with industry and stakeholders to develop fuel economy standards for heavy-duty vehicles to save families money at the pump and further reduce reliance on foreign oil and fuel consumption post-2018; and

Leverages new opportunities to reduce pollution of highly-potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons; directs agencies to develop a comprehensive methane strategy; and commits to protect our forests and critical landscapes.

Prepares the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change. Even as we take new steps to cut carbon pollution, we must also prepare for the impacts of a changing climate that are already being felt across the country. Building on progress over the last four years, the plan:

Directs agencies to support local climate-resilient investment by removing barriers or counterproductive policies and modernizing programs; and establishes a short-term task force of state, local, and tribal officials to advise on key actions the Federal government can take to help strengthen communities on the ground;

Pilots innovative strategies in the Hurricane Sandy-affected region to strengthen communities against future extreme weather and other climate impacts; and building on a new, consistent flood risk reduction standard established for the Sandy-affected region, agencies will update flood-risk reduction standards for all federally funded projects;

Launches an effort to create sustainable and resilient hospitals in the face of climate change through a public-private partnership with the healthcare industry;

Maintains agricultural productivity by delivering tailored, science-based knowledge to farmers, ranchers, and landowners; and helps communities prepare for drought and wildfire by launching a National Drought Resilience Partnership and by expanding and prioritizing forest- and rangeland- restoration efforts to make areas less vulnerable to catastrophic fire; and

Provides climate preparedness tools and information needed by state, local, and private-sector leaders through a centralized “toolkit” and a new Climate Data Initiative.

Lead International Efforts to Address Global Climate Change. Just as no country is immune from the impacts of climate change, no country can meet this challenge alone. That is why it is imperative for the United States to couple action at home with leadership internationally. America must help forge a truly global solution to this global challenge by galvanizing international action to significantly reduce emissions, prepare for climate impacts, and drive progress through the international negotiations. For example, the plan:

Commits to expand major new and existing international initiatives, including bilateral initiatives with China, India, and other major emitting countries;

Leads global sector public financing towards cleaner energy by calling for the end of U.S. government support for public financing of new coal-fired powers plants overseas, except for the most efficient coal technology available in the world’s poorest countries, or facilities deploying carbon capture and sequestration technologies; and

Strengthens global resilience to climate change by expanding government and local community planning and response capacities.

Thanks to the women in this room and people all across the country, we worked really hard — and it’s now been more than three years since Congress passed the Affordable Care Act and I signed it into law. It’s been nearly a year since the Supreme Court upheld the law under the Constitution. And, by the way, six months ago, the American people went to the polls and decided to keep going in this direction. So the law is here to stay.

I’ll do everything in my power to make sure nothing like this happens again by holding the responsible parties accountable, by putting in place new checks and new safeguards, and going forward, by making sure that the law is applied as it should be — in a fair and impartial way.

They exemplified the very idea of citizenship — that with our God-given rights come responsibilities and obligations to ourselves and to others. They embodied that idea. That’s the way they died. That’s how we must remember them. And that’s how we must live.